Attorney General Jeff Jackson Secures Conviction and 39-Year Sentence in Asheville Murder Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026
Contact: comms@ncdoj.gov
919-538-2809

RALEIGH — Attorney General Jeff Jackson secured a murder conviction against Tyran Dewayne Burton in an Asheville murder case. On Monday, Burton pleaded guilty to second‑degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.

Burton was sentenced to 365 to 450 months in prison for second-degree murder, followed by a consecutive sentence of 110 to 144 months in prison for assault with a deadly weapon. The remaining charges were consolidated for judgment.

“Thanks to the hard work of law enforcement and our prosecutors, this defendant will spend decades behind bars,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “My office will continue working with our partners to protect North Carolinians and keep dangerous defendants off our streets.”

Burton’s conviction stems from an April 3, 2020, shooting at Pisgah View Apartments. That night, the Asheville Police Department was called to the area and found two people inside an apartment suffering from gunshot wounds. Adrian Terrell Smith, 29, died at the scene, and another victim was injured and taken to a hospital.

Witnesses were inside the home when two armed people came in through the back door and started shooting. Surveillance footage showed people approaching the building and entering the back of the apartment. They were later seen fleeing the area. Officers later identified one of the suspects as Burton.

Attorney General Jackson previously secured convictions against two co-defendants in the case. Sherwayne Bascom pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and possession of firearm by a felon. Bascom was sentenced to 230 to 288 months in prison. Da’Jour McDay pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder and possession of firearm by a felon. He was sentenced to 67 to 93 months followed by 12 to 24 months.

The North Carolina Department of Justice prosecuted the case after a referral from the office of Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams. The Asheville Police Department investigated this matter.

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